Report: Electoral Negotiations Almost Paralyzed
Twenty-two days separate Lebanon from the end of a one month time period, in accordance with a presidential decree issued by President Michel Aoun on April 12 that suspended the parliament, paving way for additional negotiations on a new law and avoiding another parliament term extension, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.
“However, although the measure was supposed to give momentum at all levels to formulate a solution for the electoral-political crisis, the electoral machine engines seem to have been rusted,” said the daily.
“They are governed by a suspicious freeze affecting political and official levels concerned with this file, which threatens to put the country on the brink of a political dispute opening Lebanon on various negative possibilities,” it added.
“Until the contrary is proven, political forces are accused of indecisiveness and failure to deal with this pressing entitlement, which requires the need for rapid and serious adoption of a consensual electoral format that takes into account all the components and Lebanese families,” added the daily.
Al-Joumhouria pointed out to the “blatant absence of political consultations during the Easter vacation and beyond, which is supposed to be driven by a sensitive entitlement,” thus discouraging the Lebanese on the ability of their leaders to address the matter.
The daily added that the Lebanese expect the political class to address the issue seriously and to take into consideration the pressing deadlines facing the country.
On April 12, Aoun invoked his constitutional powers to adjourn the parliament for one month.
Lebanon's lawmakers were set to vote in Parliament the next day to postpone national elections and extend their term for a third time since 2013.
Aoun justified the adjournment to give legislators time to craft a new election law and hold elections as quickly as possible.
Lebanon's political parties say it is time to scrap the country's 1960 voting law that allocates seats by religious sect, but disagree over what system should replace it.
Source: Naharnet, Associated Press
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